BMW Z Series
Encyclopedia
The BMW Z Series traditionally is a roadster
manufactured by the German automaker BMW
beginning with the Z1
. Successor to the BMW 507
after nearly 30 years, it has been produced in four different generations, coupe variants, one super car, and one concept. The Z1
was a limited production European run for BMW
, whereas its successor the Z3
was the first mass produced roadster for BMW
. The original Z in Z1
stood for Zukunft (German
for future).
The BMW Z1 is a two-seat roadster developed by BMW
and produced from March 1989 to June 1991. The Z1 featured unusual doors which, instead of opening outward or upward, dropped down into the door sills. Only 8,000 examples of the Z1 were produced.
The Z3 was the first modern mass-market roadster
produced by BMW
. The Z3 was introduced as a 1996 model year vehicle, shortly after being featured in the James Bond
movie, GoldenEye
. There were a few variants of the car before its production run ended in 2002, including a coupé
version for 1999, and M versions for both. It was manufactured and assembled in Spartanburg, South Carolina
.
The first-generation BMW Z4 was known as the E85 in roadster
form and E86 in coupé
form. It was designed by Danish
BMW-designer Anders Warming
,.
The Z4's design addresses many criticisms of the preceding Z3
; the Z4 was larger, and had a significantly stiffer chassis
. It was built in Spartanburg, South Carolina
. Initially, the Z4 was available only as a roadster, but in 2006 a coupé version was officially launched. The last of the first-generation Z4 to be assembled in North America rolled off the assembly line on 27 August 2008.
in Detroit the following month. Using a retractable hardtop, the new Z4 replaces the previous roadster and coupe versions for the 2009 model year. The top is made of a two-piece lightweight aluminum shell, and takes 20 seconds to fold up or down. Manufacturing has been moved from the United States to Regensburg
, Germany.
automaker
BMW
from 2000 to 2003. The Z8 was the production variant of the 1997 Z07 concept car
, which was designed by Henrik Fisker
at BMW's DesignworksUSA
in Southern California. The Z07 originally was designed as a styling exercise intended to evoke and celebrate the 1956-'59 BMW 507
. The Z07 caused a sensation at the '97 Tokyo Auto Show. The overwhelming popularity of the concept spurred BMW's decision to produce a limited production model called the Z8. 5,703 Z8s were built, approximately half of which were exported to the United States
.
coupe introduced in 1999 by BMW
at the Frankfurt Auto Show. During the 2000 Paris Auto Show a convertible variant of the Z9 was debuted. The Z9 featured a carbon fiber skin over an aluminum space frame. Much of the styling found on the current E63 6 series
is derived from the Z9. The vehicle also featured unique gull wing doors that also opened like a conventional hinged door. The Z9 did not make it into production, but many of its innovations did. The interior included an early concept of BMW's iDrive system
, called the Intuitive Interaction Concept. The Z9 featured the world's first V8 turbo diesel, later produced for the BMW 7 Series 740d model.
sibling with the introduction of the M Coupe and M Roadster vehicles. The first generation Z4
also continued the M tradition, with the second generation of the M Coupe and M Roadster vehicles. As of March 2009, there has been no official announcements in regards to a third generation for the M Roadster.
Roadster
A roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. Strictly speaking a roadster with wind-up windows is a convertible but as true roadsters are no longer made the distinction is now irrelevant...
manufactured by the German automaker BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
beginning with the Z1
BMW Z1
The BMW Z1 was a two-seat roadster developed by BMW and produced from March 1989 to June 1991. The Z1 featured doors which dropped down into the door sills. A total of 8,000 cars were produced.-History:...
. Successor to the BMW 507
BMW 507
The BMW 507 is a roadster produced by BMW from 1956 to 1959. Initially intended to be exported to the United States at a rate of thousands per year, it ended up being too expensive, resulting in a total production figure of 252 cars and heavy losses for BMW....
after nearly 30 years, it has been produced in four different generations, coupe variants, one super car, and one concept. The Z1
BMW Z1
The BMW Z1 was a two-seat roadster developed by BMW and produced from March 1989 to June 1991. The Z1 featured doors which dropped down into the door sills. A total of 8,000 cars were produced.-History:...
was a limited production European run for BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
, whereas its successor the Z3
BMW Z3
The BMW Z3 was the first modern mass-market roadster produced by BMW, as well as the first new BMW model assembled in the United States. The Z3 was introduced as a 1996 model year vehicle, shortly after being featured in the James Bond movie,...
was the first mass produced roadster for BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
. The original Z in Z1
BMW Z1
The BMW Z1 was a two-seat roadster developed by BMW and produced from March 1989 to June 1991. The Z1 featured doors which dropped down into the door sills. A total of 8,000 cars were produced.-History:...
stood for Zukunft (German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
for future).
History
Z Series vehicles can be largely differentiated by the underlying platform:| Model | Vehicle | Class | Production |
|---|---|---|---|
| E30 based BMW Z1 The BMW Z1 was a two-seat roadster developed by BMW and produced from March 1989 to June 1991. The Z1 featured doors which dropped down into the door sills. A total of 8,000 cars were produced.-History:... |
Z1 BMW Z1 The BMW Z1 was a two-seat roadster developed by BMW and produced from March 1989 to June 1991. The Z1 featured doors which dropped down into the door sills. A total of 8,000 cars were produced.-History:... |
Roadster | 1989–1991 |
| E36/7 & E36/8 BMW Z3 The BMW Z3 was the first modern mass-market roadster produced by BMW, as well as the first new BMW model assembled in the United States. The Z3 was introduced as a 1996 model year vehicle, shortly after being featured in the James Bond movie,... |
Z3 BMW Z3 The BMW Z3 was the first modern mass-market roadster produced by BMW, as well as the first new BMW model assembled in the United States. The Z3 was introduced as a 1996 model year vehicle, shortly after being featured in the James Bond movie,... |
Roadster & coupe (respectively) | 1996–2002 |
| E85 & E86 BMW Z4 The BMW Z4 is a rear-wheel drive sports car by the German car maker BMW. It follows a line of past BMW roadsters such as the BMW Z1, BMW 507, BMW Z8, and the BMW Z3. The Z4 replaces the Z3. First generation production started in 2002 at BMW USA's Greer, South Carolina plant, with production of both... |
Z4 BMW Z4 The BMW Z4 is a rear-wheel drive sports car by the German car maker BMW. It follows a line of past BMW roadsters such as the BMW Z1, BMW 507, BMW Z8, and the BMW Z3. The Z4 replaces the Z3. First generation production started in 2002 at BMW USA's Greer, South Carolina plant, with production of both... |
Roadster & coupe (respectively) | 2002–2008 |
| E89 BMW Z4 The BMW Z4 is a rear-wheel drive sports car by the German car maker BMW. It follows a line of past BMW roadsters such as the BMW Z1, BMW 507, BMW Z8, and the BMW Z3. The Z4 replaces the Z3. First generation production started in 2002 at BMW USA's Greer, South Carolina plant, with production of both... |
Z4 BMW Z4 The BMW Z4 is a rear-wheel drive sports car by the German car maker BMW. It follows a line of past BMW roadsters such as the BMW Z1, BMW 507, BMW Z8, and the BMW Z3. The Z4 replaces the Z3. First generation production started in 2002 at BMW USA's Greer, South Carolina plant, with production of both... |
Roadster (with retractable hardtop) | 2009–present |
| E52 BMW Z8 The BMW Z8 was a roadster car produced by German automaker BMW from 1999-2003. It was given the E52 BMW model code.The Z8 was the production variant of the 1997 Z07 concept car, which was designed by Henrik Fisker at BMW's DesignworksUSA in Southern California. The Z07 originally was designed as a... |
Z8 BMW Z8 The BMW Z8 was a roadster car produced by German automaker BMW from 1999-2003. It was given the E52 BMW model code.The Z8 was the production variant of the 1997 Z07 concept car, which was designed by Henrik Fisker at BMW's DesignworksUSA in Southern California. The Z07 originally was designed as a... |
Supercar/roadster | 2000–2003 |
| Concept BMW Z9 The BMW Z9 is a four-seat coupe concept car, carbon-fiber skin over an aluminumspace frame. It was introduced on September in 1999 at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Duringthe 2000 Paris Auto Show a convertible variant... |
Z9 BMW Z9 The BMW Z9 is a four-seat coupe concept car, carbon-fiber skin over an aluminumspace frame. It was introduced on September in 1999 at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Duringthe 2000 Paris Auto Show a convertible variant... |
Concept coupe & convertible | 1999–2000 |
E30 based Z1, 1989-1992
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
and produced from March 1989 to June 1991. The Z1 featured unusual doors which, instead of opening outward or upward, dropped down into the door sills. Only 8,000 examples of the Z1 were produced.
E36 based Z3, 1996-2002
The Z3 was the first modern mass-market roadster
Roadster
A roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. Strictly speaking a roadster with wind-up windows is a convertible but as true roadsters are no longer made the distinction is now irrelevant...
produced by BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
. The Z3 was introduced as a 1996 model year vehicle, shortly after being featured in the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
movie, GoldenEye
GoldenEye
GoldenEye is the seventeenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the first to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film was directed by Martin Campbell and is the first film in the series not to take story elements from the works of novelist Ian Fleming...
. There were a few variants of the car before its production run ended in 2002, including a coupé
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
version for 1999, and M versions for both. It was manufactured and assembled in Spartanburg, South Carolina
Spartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
.
E85/E86 Z4, 2002-2008
Roadster
A roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. Strictly speaking a roadster with wind-up windows is a convertible but as true roadsters are no longer made the distinction is now irrelevant...
form and E86 in coupé
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
form. It was designed by Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
BMW-designer Anders Warming
Anders Warming
Anders Warming is a Danish automotive designer working for BMW AG. He is the new chief of Design for the Mini division of BMW. He was recently the chief of exterior design for BMW from 2007 to the end of 2010.- Education and early career :...
,.
The Z4's design addresses many criticisms of the preceding Z3
BMW Z3
The BMW Z3 was the first modern mass-market roadster produced by BMW, as well as the first new BMW model assembled in the United States. The Z3 was introduced as a 1996 model year vehicle, shortly after being featured in the James Bond movie,...
; the Z4 was larger, and had a significantly stiffer chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
. It was built in Spartanburg, South Carolina
Spartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
. Initially, the Z4 was available only as a roadster, but in 2006 a coupé version was officially launched. The last of the first-generation Z4 to be assembled in North America rolled off the assembly line on 27 August 2008.
E89 Z4, 2009-present
The second-generation Z4 was announced on December 13, 2008, and debuted at the 2009 North American International Auto ShowNorth American International Auto Show
The North American International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center, usually in January. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
in Detroit the following month. Using a retractable hardtop, the new Z4 replaces the previous roadster and coupe versions for the 2009 model year. The top is made of a two-piece lightweight aluminum shell, and takes 20 seconds to fold up or down. Manufacturing has been moved from the United States to Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
, Germany.
E52 Z8, 2000-2003
The BMW Z8 was a car produced by GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
automaker
Automaker
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
from 2000 to 2003. The Z8 was the production variant of the 1997 Z07 concept car
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
, which was designed by Henrik Fisker
Henrik Fisker
Henrik Fisker is a leading automobile designer and CEO of Fisker Coachbuild. He has lived and worked in Germany, London, and in Southern California. Henrik Fisker graduated from the short-lived Swiss campus of California's Art Center College of Design in 1989...
at BMW's DesignworksUSA
DesignworksUSA
DesignworksUSA is a global design consultancy based in Newbury Park, California, United States, with design studios in Munich, Germany and Singapore. Established independently in 1972 by Charles Pelly, it was acquired by BMW in 1995 and is now a wholly owned subsidiary of BMW Group...
in Southern California. The Z07 originally was designed as a styling exercise intended to evoke and celebrate the 1956-'59 BMW 507
BMW 507
The BMW 507 is a roadster produced by BMW from 1956 to 1959. Initially intended to be exported to the United States at a rate of thousands per year, it ended up being too expensive, resulting in a total production figure of 252 cars and heavy losses for BMW....
. The Z07 caused a sensation at the '97 Tokyo Auto Show. The overwhelming popularity of the concept spurred BMW's decision to produce a limited production model called the Z8. 5,703 Z8s were built, approximately half of which were exported to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Z9 concept
The BMW Z9 (or Z9 Gran Turismo, Z9 GT) is a conceptConcept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
coupe introduced in 1999 by BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
at the Frankfurt Auto Show. During the 2000 Paris Auto Show a convertible variant of the Z9 was debuted. The Z9 featured a carbon fiber skin over an aluminum space frame. Much of the styling found on the current E63 6 series
BMW E63/E64
The BMW E63/E64 is the current model of the BMW 6 Series of luxury coupés, introduced in Autumn 2003 in Frankfurt Motor Show by German car manufacturer BMW. It comes as either a coupé or cabriolet and in several engine variants ranging from a 3 litre straight-6 to 5 litre V10 in the M6 model...
is derived from the Z9. The vehicle also featured unique gull wing doors that also opened like a conventional hinged door. The Z9 did not make it into production, but many of its innovations did. The interior included an early concept of BMW's iDrive system
IDrive
iDrive is a computer system which is used to control most secondary vehicle systems in many current BMW cars. iDrive's user interface consists of a LCD panel mounted in the dashboard and a controller knob mounted on the center console....
, called the Intuitive Interaction Concept. The Z9 featured the world's first V8 turbo diesel, later produced for the BMW 7 Series 740d model.
M variations
The Z3 was the first of the Z series to have a BMW MBMW M
BMW M GmbH is a subsidiary of German car manufacturer BMW AG.BMW M, also known as M-Technik or just "M" was initially created to facilitate BMW’s racing program, which was very successful in the 1960s and 1970s...
sibling with the introduction of the M Coupe and M Roadster vehicles. The first generation Z4
BMW Z4
The BMW Z4 is a rear-wheel drive sports car by the German car maker BMW. It follows a line of past BMW roadsters such as the BMW Z1, BMW 507, BMW Z8, and the BMW Z3. The Z4 replaces the Z3. First generation production started in 2002 at BMW USA's Greer, South Carolina plant, with production of both...
also continued the M tradition, with the second generation of the M Coupe and M Roadster vehicles. As of March 2009, there has been no official announcements in regards to a third generation for the M Roadster.
Production and sales
| Calendar year | Total production | US sales |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 15,040 | |
| 1997 | 57,100 | |
| 1998 | 53,000 | |
| 1999 | 51,000 | 20,062 |
| 2000 | 41,400, 1,400* | 16,382, 317* |
| 2001 | 37,377, 2,202* | 14,914***, 970* |
| 2002 | 25,322, 1,106* | 10,490**, 524* |
| 2003 | 51,011, 1,005* | 20,324**, 439* |
| 2004 | 38,483 | 13,654**, 110* |
| 2005 | 28,808 | 10,045***, 17* |
| 2006 | 30,981 | 12,285***, 5* |
| 2007 | 28,383 | 10,097 |
| 2008 | 18,006 | 5,879 |
| 2009 | 22,761 | 3,523 |
| 2010 | 3,804 |
* Z8 ** Z3&Z4 *** Z4